Buckle



M. W. LYNCH.

(Model.)

BUCKLE.

Patented. Sept. 27, 1881.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y i

MATTHEW W. LYNCH, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,507, dated September 27, 1881.

Application filed February 24, 1881. (Model.)

To all lwhom it may concern,

Be it known that I, MATTHEW W. LYNCH,

' of Madison, in the county ot' Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partvof thisspeciication, in which- Y Figure l is a perspective view of the invenf tion; Fig. 2, a top-plan view ot' the same; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section taken on the line ma', Fig. 2 Fig. 4, a bottom view, with the casing broken away to show the construction of the lock. Fig. 5 is a top-plan View, and Fig. 6 a longitudinal sectional view, of a modification of the invention; and Fig. 7, a view of the tongue of the buckle shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Similar. letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved buckle the tongue of which can be securelylocked, when desired, by means of a locking mechanism arranged within the buckle, whereby to prevent the detachment ofthe strap accidentally or otherwise than by the applica- K tion of the key of the locking mechanism.

To this end the inventionconsists in certain novelties of construction and combination of parts, which I will now proceed to describe, and which will be pointed out particularly in the claims.

In the drawings, yA represents the body or main plate of the buckle, cast or otherwise formed of metal, preferably brass, and provided withv side flanges, B B, as shown.V Between these side anges is pivoted, by means of a bolt, c, ametal plate, C,carryingthe prong or tongue c'. This plate is preferably wedgeshaped, and its pivotal bolt passes through its thickest edge. Shoulders c3 are formed on the bolt c inside of the' tlan ges, and the ends ofthe bolt are riveted down on the outside of the anges, thus making a very strong and secure connection, and causing the bolt to materially assist in supporting the anges against both inward and outward pressure.

The body or main plate A is provided with a vertical slot or opening, a, and with ala-teral slot, a', intersecting said `slot a at one end, `as

shown. Within the slot a a bar or bolt, D, is arranged. This bolt, when moved in one direction, -closes one .end of the slot a; but when moved in the opposite direction, a recess or notch, d, n its side is brought opposite the slot a, leaving the latteropen throughout its entire length. When the slot a isthus left open and the plate() is turned down thetongue c enters the slot and swings up against the end wall, a2, thereof. The bolt being then moved so as tocause its solid portion to till the opposite end of the slot, the tongue is conned within the slot, and is prevented from being released until the bolt is again moved. One side or wall, d', ot" the recess d in the bolt is slightly raised above the top face ot' the bolt, in order that when the bolt is moved to .close the end of the slot such raised portion will strike against the opposite wall of the slot a., and thus positively arrest the mo vement ofthe bolt; and to prevent the said raised portion from projecting into the slot a when the recess and said slot are made to correspond or register, the wall of the slot isreeessed at a? for itsaccommodation, as shown.

The bolt D is provided with a longitudinal slot or channel, d3, into which leads a series of lateral slots or channels, d4-preferabl y three or more inA number-containing pins d5, shorter than said slots or channels, and within the body or main plate A are arranged a series of slots4 or cavities, d4, corresponding in number to the number of lateral slotsin the bolt, and containing pins ai and spiral springs as for pressing the pins outward. When the bolt is so positioned as to confine the tongue of the buckle within the slot (t theA pins a5 register with the slots in the bolt, and are forced by their springs into said slots, against the short pins d5 therein, and eft'ectllally lock the bolt from longitudinal movement. The bolt is released from the spring-seated pins by means of a key, K, which is so shaped that when inserted in the longitudinal slot or channel d3 ot the bolt it will press outward the pins d5 and cause them, in turn, to press back the pins a5 until they are on a line with the edge ot' the bolt. A forward pressure of the key then causes the bolt to move longitudinally forward, so as to bring its recess opposite the slot a and enable the tongue IOO to be released. During the forward movement of the bolt thel spring-seated pins bear against its solid edge. To lock the bolt again it isonly necessary to remove the key and push back the bolt by pressing on its projecting end,and when its lateral slots come opposite the springseated pins they wllagain be projected into the same, as before.

The small pins d5 in the bolt should be of unequal length, and the key so formed with projections and depressions that when fully entered all the pins will be properly aligned.

A"The buckle is intended to be attached to its strap by riveting the end of its body thereto, as shown, or by slotting it for the passage ot' the strap, or by forming a bar upon it for the attachment ofthe strap.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the invention applied to a diii'erent form of buckle, A representing the body ot' the buckle, constructed preferably of a casting of brass, with sides B and cross-bars C of rolled brass; D', a tongue,pivoted within a slot, s', of the body; and E', the sliding bolt, adapted to engage with a projection or spur, f', on the inner end of the tongue, for the purpose of keeping the tongue locked. The tongue is preferably mounted upon a pivot or stud, cast with or otherwise attached to the body A, within the slot, and is applied to said pivot by slitting it from its perforation out' ward, as shown, and, after application, closing the parts together and, if necessary, brazing them. The bolt in this form of buckle is entirely within the body, and does not project out beyond the body in any of its movements, as in the form of buckle shown in Fig. l, and the same locking and unlocking arrangement is preferably employed, except that to lock, instead of pressing upon the end of the bolt, a stud, h', projecting from the bolt through a slot, t', in the body, is caught hold of and moved.

Instead of a longitudinally-sliding bolt for engaging with the tongue to lock it, a revolving locking-cylinder with a locking-projection may be employed, locking-pins being arranged within said cylinder and operated by a key thrust within the cylinder. I, however, prefer the sliding-bolt arrangement.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of the hinged or pivoted tongue, the body or main plate having the slot for the reception of the tongue `when swung down, and a movable bolt or bar adapted to close one end of the slot to confine the tongue,

tongue, the body or main plate having the slot for receiving the end ofthe tongue when swung down, and the longitudinally-moving bolt or bar D, having the recess in its side, whereby said bar when moved in one direction admits the tongue into the slot, and when moved in the opposite direction prevents said tongue from being withdrawn from the slot, substantially as described.

4. The combination ot' the body or main plate of the buckle, having the slot for accommodating the end of the pivoted tongue, and the longitudinally-moving locking bolt or bar having the recess in its side, whereby said bar when in one position admits the tongue into the slot, and in another position prevents said tongue from being withdrawn lfrom the slot, substantially as described.

5. The combination ot' the body or main plate having the slot a therein for the accom modation of the end 'of the tongue with the longitudinally-moving locking-bolt having the recess in its side, and one wall of which is raised to form a stop to positively arrest the forward movement ot' the bolt, substantially as described.

6. The combination ot' the longitudinallymoving locking-bar, rhaving the raised wall to its side recess, with the body or main plate slotted for the accommodation of the end ofthe tongue, and having the recess a3 for the accommodation of the raised part of the bolt, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

7. Thceombination of the slotted inner body or main plate, the hinged plate carrying the roo tongue, the locking-bar having the longitudinal slot and lat-eral slots and pins, and the spring-seated pins working in cavities in the' body or main plate, substantially as described. A

MATTHEW W. LYNCH. Vi tnesses:

S. W. BOTKIN, VICTOR J. WELCH. 

